The new mayor of Porto has expressed concern that the city is too dependent on tourism and real estate and wants to “rethink the economic development model” for the city.
Mayor Pedro Duarte (PDS/CDS-PP/IL), who has taken office after being elected mayor in last month’s local elections, said during his inauguration speech yesterday (Wednesday): “A city that is overly dependent on tourism and real estate runs the risk of becoming a hostage of its own success.”
He understands that “Porto has grown, but with growth come new problems: pressure on housing, insecurity, limitations on mobility, and persistent inequalities“.
Listing five essential points, Pedro Duarte assured that he will govern with a focus on “solving the real problems” of the people, will choose to act “based on dialogue, listening and consensus”, will maintain “Porto’s legacy of sound accounts and responsible management”, will govern with “proximity” by being “on the streets and in the neighbourhoods”, and exercising power “with courage”, without depending on “private interests”.
“Porto cannot – nor does it want to – close in on itself. It must be thought of as a network and viewed in conjunction with the Metropolitan Area, the Northern Region, the country and Europe,” he added, seeing the city as “a benchmark for cooperation and trust between local authorities in the region”, with a “constructive attitude, strategic vision and ability to bring people together”.
With his eyes also set outside the region, Pedro Duarte says the local authority is not immune to global challenges such as “climate change, wars, geopolitical tensions and new authoritarianism”, reminding everyone that “peace and democracy are fragile achievements”.
“Social inequalities remind us that progress is only real when it takes us all with it,” he added, saying that his vision for the city “is based on a simple idea: to govern is to create the conditions for people to be happy”.
On the word “happiness”, he considered that “for too long, politics has distanced itself from this word – as if it were abstract, superfluous or even inappropriate in the political dictionary.”
For Pedro Duarte, “happiness is not a luxury, nor a chimera: it is the raison d’être of community life” and “being happy is having health, a decent home and a job that allows you to live in peace”, with “time for family, friends”, where you can walk “safely” and “breathe clean air”.
“A city of opportunities. Opportunities for everyone, regardless of whether they grew up on a social housing estate or a luxury condominium,” he stressed.
Pedro Duarte left words of thanks to his predecessor, Rui Moreira (independent), who served as mayor from 2013 to 2025, for having given “new life to the city”, acknowledging his management with “independence and courage” and saying he felt “inspired” by the legacy left behind.
“He opened Porto to the world and brought the world to Porto. In these 12 years, the city has undergone a profound transformation and has become an international benchmark,” he added.
Source: Lusa
